Graduates receive their degrees during a commencement ceremony at Wenzhou Medical University on June 25. [Photo by Chen Mingming for Tide News]

Under bright lights and proud cheers, 120 international students from 24 countries received their degrees from Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, on June 25, capping years of study, resilience, and cultural exchange in China.

The commencement ceremony, held at the School of International Studies, awarded degrees to 99 undergraduates and 21 master's and doctoral students from nations including India, Jamaica, South Africa, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe.

One of the graduates was Ergashev Akmal, 31, a doctoral student from Tajikistan.

Akmal described his time at Wenzhou Medical University as unforgettable and expressed hope to remain in China after graduation to continue contributing. He began his medical journey in China in 2013.

Over the past five years, he not only deepened his medical expertise but also grew connected to life in Wenzhou by joining local festivals, livestreaming Chinese culture, and sharing his experiences with global audiences.

During the ceremony, Akmal brought his wife and child on stage, where they posed with Li Xiaokun, academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Wenzhou Medical University.

Ergashev Akmal (right) poses with his child and Wenzhou Medical University President Li Xiaokun during the commencement ceremony at Wenzhou Medical University on June 25. [Photo by Chen Mingming for Tide News]

The university's commitment to international education dates back over three decades. Since being approved to enroll short-term international students in 1993, the university has trained about 1,500 foreign graduates.

It currently offers four fully English-taught undergraduate majors — clinical medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing — and 14 postgraduate disciplines, including ophthalmology and surgery. The university partners with 170 overseas institutions and has built internship bases with hospitals in countries such as Poland, Ghana, Tanzania, and Jamaica.

Graduates pose outside the School of International Studies, Wenzhou Medical University on June 25. [Photo by Chen Mingming for Tide News]